Since the day I colored
my hair, life has been like a Shakespearean play.

Act I begins on August 12th the day I walked into the salon to try and
roll back time. Women these days have bought into the advertising
campaign that aging is unacceptable and our natural appearance is
inadequate. We were naïve to think that the chemicals in
cosmetics and body products had been adequately tested and then
approved by our government. We all have been unaware that the chemical
companies were putting untested compounds in the products that not only
adults have put on their bodies, but have placed on our children.
We have been ignorant to the FDA’s ineffective process of testing and
regulating hair dye, among numerous other products. If I had only
known that the government had placed money above the safety of its
citizens, my story would be much different.Act
I: Scene II: Know the enemy

Para-Phenylenediamine
(PPD) is an ingredient found in most hair dye whether it is purchased
at a store or an upscale salon. There are a few brands that do not
contain this ingredient but may contain other harmful or highly
allergic substances such as nickel. What is PPD? It is an
aniline dye also known as a coal tar dye. Basically, it is
petroleum. What is it used for? It is a substance
used in rubber chemicals, photo developer, oil, gasoline, ink, textile
dyes, dark cosmetics and hair dye.

This ingredient goes by
many names such as PPD, 1,4-Benzenediamine and numerous other
aliases. For a list of alternate names please see Attachment
E. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) stated that you should “prevent skin contact“ with PPD in order
to avoid the “symptoms: Irritation pharynx, larynx; bronchial asthma;
sensitization dermatitis” (NIOSH, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0495.html
).

Recently, PPD received bad
press when it was used to darken henna tattoos and caused numerous
disfiguring scars. The FDA states "So-called "black henna" may contain
the "coal tar" color p-phenylenediamine, also known as PPD. This
ingredient may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The only
legal use of PPD in cosmetics is as a hair dye. It is not approved for
direct application to the skin”
(FDA, http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-tatt.html
).

However, when most hair dye is applied it does come in direct contact
with the scalp and quite often touches the skin on the forehead and
ears. Hair dye is in direct contact with the skin for sometimes
up to 30 minutes. The FDA apparently feels that it is unsafe to
use PPD for a tattoo but safe enough to apply directly onto your
scalp.

Act I: Scene
III: More than you bargained for

The most common allergic
reactions are dermatitis of the eyes, ears, scalp and face, which may
include a rash, extreme swelling and a severe burning sensation on the
scalp. The most severe reactions are cross-sensitization and in
rare cases death. Cross-sensitization means that it not only
makes you sensitive to PPD but you become responsive to all of its
chemical cousins. This includes most textile dyes, pen ink,
gasoline, oil, food dyes, medication dyes, preservatives (Parabens) and
some drugs (all caine drugs (Benzocaine, Novacaine), Sulfonamides,
sulfones, sulfa drugs, and Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)). One
last cross-reactor would be fragrances since so many contain related
chemicals. You can see from this list that if you are cross-sensitized
as I was that you become allergic to just about everything found in
modern society.

Now that I am
cross-sensitized, exposure to any of the items listed above can cause
me to have a blister rash, breathing difficulties and even anaphylactic
shock which could result in death. I am unable to go into most
buildings and must stay away from everyone that is wearing fragrances
(shampoo, fabric softener, perfume). I have to carry an Epi-Pen at all
times in case I go into anaphylactic shock and a medic alert bracelet
has become a permanent part of my wardrobe. In a medical emergency
there is little they could do since I am allergic to most medicines
because they contain dye and/or preservatives.

Act I: Scene
IV: Life in a bubble

If you have a minor reaction
(slight burning, itching scalp or minor facial swelling) these can be
treated by antihistamines or steroid shampoo. Most likely your
reactions will become more dramatic with each coloring.

Cross-sensitization
could occur
the first or the 25th time you color. Doing the patch test
72
hours prior to dyeing your hair could give you advanced warning of an
acute reaction. Most people at home or in salons don’t do the
required FDA patch test. They believe no complications last time
ensures you will be fine this time. Nothing could be further from
the truth. If you become cross-sensitized you usually have
symptoms within 24 hours of the coloring. Severe swelling of the
eyes, ears, or entire face and possibly intense burning of the scalp
(to the point that standing under a cold shower for hours is the only
relief) may occur. You may find, as I did, that products you put
on your body before will now burn your skin. Your shampoo,
deodorant, toothpaste, makeup, detergent, fabric softener and even your
soap may cause severe irritation. Almost all commercial products
contain ingredients that can cross-react with a PPD allergy, such as,
the preservative Paraben or dye.

You
will need to contact a
Dermatologist immediately to be properly diagnosed with a PPD
allergy. They will advise you of all of the chemicals you will
have to avoid. You may also be referred to an
Allergist/Immunologist to perform tests to see if your immune system
has been damaged with the exposure. These specialists will tell
you avoidance is the only way to handle this allergy. This means
you have to avoid all places which may expose you to the chemicals you
are now cross-sensitized to. For example: cleaners, carpets,
pesticides, gas, oil, and fragrances. I have found avoiding
fragrances to be the most complicated. The average person walking
around has placed so many chemical fragrances on them before they leave
the house; their soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, gel, hair
spray, shaving cream, makeup, scented detergent, fabric softener and
they top it off with perfume or cologne. It is impossible to go
into any public building and avoid all of the chemicals they use to
clean or the fragrances on the staff or patrons.

If
you are cross-sensitized you
are usually referred to an Environmental Medicine Specialist.
This specialist will guide you on the life-style changes you will have
to make due to this allergy. Depending on the level of the
allergy you may have to change all of your linens, clothes and towels
to organic cotton or hemp which may have to be color free to avoid skin
reactions to dye. Some of your furniture that has polyester
fiberfill (mattress and couch) may have to leave the house. You
will also find that almost all of your medicines from prescription to
over the counter will be off limits due to dyes and
preservatives. Your grocery bill may triple
because you can only consume organic food to avoid preservatives and
dye. Reactions may occur to the building materials of your home,
such as carpet, paints, sealants, and tar based roofing material.
Currently, it runs about $250 a square foot to build an environmentally
safe home for this allergy, which does not include the purchase of
land. Most people can not afford to buy a home of this expense so
they may stay sick from reactions to their current home. You may
be advised to purchase an infrared sauna to try and reduce the severity
of your allergic reactions over time. The average cost of these
saunas is around $3,000.

Even though
Environmental Medicine doctors practice traditional medicine they are
not readily acknowledged in the medical community. They have come
under attack for speaking out on the subject of chemically related
illnesses, primarily by chemical and pharmaceutical companies.
Therefore, most insurance companies will cover a chiropractor before
they will cover an Environmental Medicine doctor. This
causes the victims of hair dye cross-sensitization to pay cash for
their medical care, despite having insurance.

Act
I: Scene V: Justice is not only blind it’s bought and paid for.

Do the chemical
manufacturers and the hair color companies know the dangers of this
chemical? I asked for permission to include the Material Safety
Data Sheet on P-Phenylenediamine (PPD) from one of the manufacturers,
Dupont, and was declined. I strongly encourage you to review the
Dupont MSDS at http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a2f8000720f.pdf.

Most people think the FDA is
minding the store and ensures the safety of hair color.
Reality
is that the “FDA is responsible for overseeing the safety of cosmetics
sold in this country and can prohibit the sale of any cosmetics found
harmful--except most hair dyes. Although the adulteration provision of
the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act enables FDA to seek removal of a
cosmetic from the market if it is shown to be harmful under conditions
of use, hair coloring made from coal-tar were given special exemption
from bans when the act was passed in 1938. The main ingredient in the
coal-tar hair dyes manufactured at the time prompted an allergic
reaction in some susceptible individuals. Fearing FDA would ban the
sale of hair dyes because some users might develop a rash or have other
allergic reactions, the industry successfully lobbied before the act
passed to get coal-tar hair dyes exempted from the adulteration
provision. Manufacturers were required, however, to include a warning
in the labels that the products can cause skin irritation in certain
allergic individuals” (FDA, http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qa-cos17.html
).

The industry was successful in
lobbying to be exempted from regulation and with only minimal
information required on the label. Clearly our government placed
the industries desires before the safety of the public. The warning
label required on all hair dye reads as follows (601(a) of the FD&C
Act): “Caution - This product contains ingredients which may cause skin
irritation on certain individuals and a preliminary test according to
accompanying directions should first be made. This product must not be
used for dyeing the eyelashes or eyebrows; to do may cause blindness”
(FDA, http://www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/fdcact/fdcact6.htm
).

When one reads that
this
product can cause skin irritation, visions of a rash or itchy skin
comes to mind. One wouldn’t gather that the product could
cross-sensitize them to numerous chemicals found in every day
products. Do you see anything on the label that warns of a
possible death from anaphylactic shock? Or anything to alert
someone with liver, kidney or lung disorders that they are more at risk
for side effects? Because a label that contained all of that
information just might stop people from using the product.
However, the unsuspecting patrons of salons never see the box and the
pretest is not among common practice. I believe the industry got
a label saying just what they chose to reveal, not including the more
severe side effects.

The coal miners knew
that canaries were very susceptible to gas vapors and used them as an
early warning device, if the birds stopped singing they knew to run for
the exit. Those of us who have had anything from a minor reaction to
the more severe cross-sensitization or death are the canaries of the
dangers in hair dye. How many people have to be trapped in their
homes or die from this chemical before something is done? We all
remember that there were concerns about the dangers of tobacco long
before court cases were won. Our government waited until it was a
national epidemic before acting. The chemical industry makes the
tobacco industry look like a bunch of Girl Scouts.

I plan to work towards
informing the public of the dangerous chemicals in hair dye. The
public has the right to make an informed decision about the chemicals
they choose to be exposed to. I hope to get congressional support
to change this clearly corporate biased FDA guideline. At the
minimum I would like an accurate and informative warning label and an
information campaign to everyone who uses hair dye. I am
currently in the process of contacting various television shows,
newspapers, environmental agencies and members of congress to enlist
their assistance in getting the word out. This is a difficult
task in this day of chemical and hair dye sponsors and lobbyists.

I thank you for
reviewing these
documents and hope you will consider using this data to work with me to
inform others.